Find Some Way
by Klutzygirl33
Summary: Spoilers up to "Dreamy". Future fic. Astrid needs Leroy's help in the resistance against Regina and they finally talk. Astrid/Leroy


**Disclaimer**: I don't own Once Upon A Time and never will. No copyright infringement intended.

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><p>Astrid hurried quickly through the town of Storybrooke, trying to find Leroy and also hoping to avoid the oncoming storm. The weather seemed to be getting worse by the minute, courtesy of Regina Mills. On her way past Granny's, she waved at Mr. Gold and the pregnant Belle, and then sped back up. The former fairy turned nun finally found him on his boat. "Dreamy!"<p>

Leroy poked his head out. "Astrid?"

"You can call me Nova again if you want, remember?" She beamed at him.

He fought back a smile. "And I'm Grumpy – Dreamy is long gone." That was a lie – Dreamy was coming out more now that his memories had fully returned and he spent some time with the woman he loved. He refused to make a move, however – He still remembered Bossy and the Blue Fairy's warnings and wasn't about to fuck it up for Nova nor hit on a nun. It didn't matter how much he wanted to be with her.

"You know that's not true. Now come, we need your help." Astrid flinched as thunder rumbled across the sky.

"Fine, let's go." He grabbed a small bottle of his favorite drink and then went to join her.

She held her hand out. "No, sorry. I need that because I need you sharp and sober, not drunk." Astrid tapped her foot and waited impatiently.

He looked at his drink and then back up at her. "But I need and want it."

"You may want it, but you don't need the alcohol. Now give it to me!" Her tone surprised even herself, but Astrid stood her ground.

The look in her eyes – and his love for her – finally convinced Leroy. He reluctantly handed the bottle over, and Astrid dumped it into the water. She threw the bottle in the trash.

When she tripped turning around, Astrid nearly fell, but Leroy caught her. Being used to this klutziness, she didn't even attempt to apologize. "Careful, sister." He put his hand on the small of her back and walked behind her.

Astrid had finally had enough by the time they got to Granny's. "You know what? I'm sick and tired of this."

He was confused. "Sick and tired of what?"

"Dancing around the subject! We still haven't talked about it, about why you let the Blue Fairy convince you that we shouldn't be together." It had been bothering her for a long time and she hadn't had the nerve to bring it up until now.

"Because you were supposed to become a fairy godmother like you were meant to be! And I had to work in the mines. That's just the way this works. We can't be together in our world and we can't be together here." Leroy hated it, but there was nothing he could do about it.

She rolled her eyes and then shocked him by going in for a kiss. The two made out for a few minutes – Belle whistling could clearly be heard in the background, but they ignored that.

"Wow." He smiled at her when they pulled away and then leaned his forehead against her.

"Wow is right. And I feel guilty, even though I'm not actually a nun." Astrid frowned, hating the unexpected emotion. She didn't want to feel guilty, she wanted to be happy!

His heart dropped into his stomach. "And that's why we can't be together." He went to leave her side, but she wasn't having any of it.

"No, don't you do that. Think of it as another thank you for cutting the power and selling all those candles at the Miner's Festival a few years ago." Astrid would forever be grateful to him for that, and she was going to show him her gratitude in a different way much later. Like after the curse was broken and she wasn't a nun anymore. Oh, there was the guilt again.

"You knew about that? Why didn't you say anything?"

"Because I wanted you to have your moment. Mary Margaret – I mean Snow White – informed me of what you did a few days after the festival. And then we had other things to worry about, so the subject never came up until now. But we really should hurry. Princess Sheriff Emma needs us."

"Princess Sheriff Emma?" He tried not to laugh at the name.

She flushed. "Shut up! She's still technically the sheriff, but she's also a princess. Some of the children started calling her that and it stuck."

"Whatever you say, Nova." He hoped she didn't notice the slip – He hadn't meant to call her Nova.

She had noticed it, of course, but didn't mention anything in fear she'd scare him off. "Come on." The two headed over the apartment that Snow, James, Emma, and Henry shared. Archie let them in when Astrid knocked.

After the meeting was over, Leroy walked Astrid back home. "You are so sweet, you know that? I still see Dreamy in you, no matter how much you claim to be Grumpy." She hoped someday to have her idealistic Dreamy back. She lo- liked Grumpy too, but Dreamy was the dwarf she had fallen in love and wanted to be with for the rest of her life. Her dream of becoming a fairy godmother didn't compare to him.

"He's dead and buried, sister. He's never coming back." Leroy hated to say it, but it was true. He couldn't be Dreamy again – It just wasn't possible.

"Never say never. And wow, that was a cliché. Don't you want to see the fireflies again? They're beautiful. We had such a nice time that night, remember?"

He nodded. "I had a great time. Do you know Belle was the one who knocked some sense into me about the fireflies? She told me I was in love with you." He grabbed her hand and squeezed it. Astrid didn't want to say anything because she didn't want to ruin the moment.

"Well, it's true. I do love you. Still do, actually." She giggled and tried not to feel guilty again. She really needed to work on that since it was becoming a real problem.

"You mean that?"

"Of course I do." Astrid wasn't about to lie to him and she never would.

He sighed and stared at his feet, unwilling to look her in the eyes. "I love you, too."

"We will find some way to be together then. I mean it, so don't you doubt me." She let go of his hand and twirled excitedly for a second, then returned to his side.

Astrid and Leroy would end up being key members of the Resistance against Regina Mills. And once the curse was broken, they found their way to be together.

But that was a story for another day.


End file.
